


Parting Gifts

by Anna_Wing



Series: The Road Goes Ever On [1]
Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-15
Updated: 2014-05-15
Packaged: 2018-01-24 22:01:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1618559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anna_Wing/pseuds/Anna_Wing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sailing down the Gulf of Lune</p>
            </blockquote>





	Parting Gifts

The ship was three days out from the Gulf of Lune when Bilbo could no longer contain himself. The days had passed pleasantly, sailing down the calm waters of the Gulf, watching the last of Middle-earth slide gently by. He had strolled carefully on the deck, caught himself up on the finer details of the Ring War with Gandalf and Galadriel, and even become quite practiced at extracting information from Frodo. But now his patience was at an end. Delicate hints had received no response, so one evening when they were all gathered on deck watching the Sunset,

"Frodo, my lad," he said, abandoning subtlety, "I want to see your presents! They've been sitting there for a week already!"

Frodo looked up from where he sat on a mat chatting to Master Elrond. Teacups and little cakes rested on a low table at his elbow, and he looked more animated than Bilbo had seen him yet.

"Yes, of course! Er..."

Gandalf said, amused, from where he leaned on the rail blowing smoke-rings, "They are safely stowed, don't worry. Come, I'll help you bring them up."

Neatly stacked on the mat, the presents drew an audience of curious Elves. Frodo contemplated the pile of brown paper parcels and said a little helplessly, "Where shall I begin?"

He reached for the nearest, which turned out to be Pippin's: a plain, handsome black umbrella with a sturdy oaken shaft, which on further examination doubled as a walking stick with built-in compartments holding a small cutlery set and folding cup. Its bronze handle, shaped like a falcon's head, also concealed a flask of the Tooks' famous pear brandy, famously able to knock over a Goblin at twenty paces (it had still been in its bottle). The accompanying note said only _From Pippin. For company on the road._

"A most ingenious and useful device," Lady Galadriel said gravely. Frodo offered her the brandy. She took a sip and raised an eyebrow. "The liquor is impressive also."

"Look!" Bilbo said, catching a sheet of folded paper before it escaped the folds of the umbrella and fluttered overboard. "The dear boy even included the recipe!"

Merry's large and expertly-wrapped parcel contained two large bottles in a fitted leather case (one of Miss Asparagus Fink-Nottle's Buck-U-Uppo Tonic in the raspberry flavour and one of Brandy Hall's own Old Particular), a weighty fruit-cake still in its baking-tin and sewn into sail-cloth, a book bound in green leather with blank pages, a set of pens and a pen-knife in their own leather case, and a very nice travelling ink-well in silver, full of black ink and with the lid carefully screwed tight. The note said _From Merry. For when you find home and to keep you provisioned until you get there._ The recipe for the fruit-cake was pasted firmly onto the first page of the book. 

Frodo laughed with what Bilbo thought was honest joy, though there were tears in his eyes. "What perfect presents!" he said. Then he turned to the last one, almost invisible under the many turns of strong gardener's string. The label had _"For Master Bilbo"_ crossed out, and _"For Master Frodo"_ written hastily underneath. There was no note, and no need for one.

They were seeds. Each packet of parchment was carefully sealed, with a short note on appropriate care written on the label. There was a separate bag full of bulbs, each embedded in cotton floss. The whole package had been wrapped in oilcloth to keep all safe from salt and rot.

Into life-long exile, Sam had given Frodo the Shire to take with him.


End file.
